USDA Brucellosis Admendments
I’m Susan Allen welcome to Open Range , Canada declared their cattle herd free of it in 1985 even stopped testing for it in 1999. We’ve nearly irradiated it here in the US as well with the exception of pockets in Rocky Mountains but now the USDA is making amendments to previous regulations that could cause some western cattle producers even more grief. Stay tuned on OpenRange for the story. Brucellosis a disease that causes cattle and wildlife to abort and retain after birth plus it can leave infected animals with arthritic joints. The only pocket of it in the US remains in the Greater Yellowstone area where cattle run with infected wildlife. The USDA has just revised testing and certification requirements that will actually reduce the amount of testing for most of our nations cattle ranchers with the exception of those ranching around the greater Yellowstone area. The USDA is proposing reducing the age at which cattle are included in herd blood tests plus lessening testing requirements on cattle producers in states that have been Class Free for five or more years and have no reported Brucella in wildlife. If you ranch near the Yellowstone as you will now be required to develop a management plan in order to maintain the coveted Class Free Status. The USDA is still taking public comments on this intern rule up until February 25th. So if your not happy with it ,now’s the time to let them know. .
